Apparatus for fishing.



No. 650,564. Patented May 29, 1900.

R. McNElLL. I

APPARATUS FOR FISHING;

' (Application filed Aug. 19, 1899.)

(N o M o d e I 2 Sheets-Sheet az ZZ Patented May 29, I900.

a. McNElLL. APPARATUS FOR FISHING.

(Application filed Aug. 19, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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RIVERS MCNEILII, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR FISHING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 650,564, dated May 29, 1900.

Application filed August 19, 1899. Serial No. 727,738. No model.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, RIvERs McNEILL, of

Chicago, in the countyof Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Fishing; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

. This invention relates to an improved apparatus for fishing bymeans of seines or other nets; and it consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view in perspective of a device embodying my invention. Figs. 2 and 8 are views in plan elevation of pile-brackets constitutinga part of my in vention.

As shown in said figures,piles A A are driven in the-beach at a distance apart equal to the length of the seine to be used together with its lead-lines, and piles A and A are driven offshore at any required distance and respectively opposite the said piles A A, the position of the four piles being rectangular with respect to each other. Upon each of the four piles is mounted at its top above the surface of the water abracket or hanger B 13 B B as shown, and each bracket is provided with a vertical shaft, which carries grooved pulleys adapted to receive and direct the lines by means of which the nets are actuated. The said brackets or hangers, as shown, consist eachof a single casting and comprise a rectangularhousing having bottom and top walls which furnish bearings for the shaft carry ing said pulleys and two side walls integral with the top and bottom walls and with each other and provided externally at the junction of said side walls witha cylindrical socket adapted to receive the head of the pile and furnishing means for attaching the bracket thereto. Suitable idlers or guide-pulleys are mounted on stud-shafts mounted on the inner sides of the brackets and so placed as to support the lines and prevent the same from slipping or falling off from the said pulleys. As shown, two sets of lines are used, one (indi cated by C) for hauling out and stretching the .pulley D nets and the other (indicated by 0 0 for drawing the same inshore. The said line 0, used for hauling'out and stretching the nets, is an endless rope having uniform motion in one direction by passing around loose pulleys D D D D journaled on the said shafts in each of the four hangers, and around a fixed driving-pulley D, located on the shore and driven by any suitable motor. The lines C 0 01' those by means of which the seines are drawn inshore run at equal speed and consist of two endless ropes or belts, one on each side of the seining-ground. Each connects one of the fixed pulleys E or E in the brackets supported on the shore-piles with a loose pulley E or E journaled on the respective shafts, supported on the offshore-pile directly opposite thereto. The said lines 0 C are given motion bydriving-belts, which connect the fixed driving-pulley F of the motor with fixed pulleys F and F respectively, which are rigidly secured on the lower ends of said shafts and located below the brackethousings on said shore-piles.

The motor employed may be of any desired kind, but as herein shown is a steam-engine and is connected by means of beveled gears with a vertical shaft provided with said driving-pulleys D" and F,which actuate saidlines.

Inasmuch as the pulleys D, D, D and D are loose pulleys, it is obvious thatothe outhauling-Iine- C may run at any desired speed with respect to the lines C 0 this being'regulated wholly by the size of the fixed driving- The said hauling-lines are each and all provided at suitable distances apart with eyes spliced into the same or otherwise secured thereto and adapted to furnish means of attachment for the lead or drawing lines of seines, and said lead-lines are provided at their outer ends with hooks for that purpose. Floats or supports are secured to the offshore-piles for the purpose of enabling one of the operators to be located at each pile.

In operation the lead-line at one end of a seine, constructed in the usual manner, is hooked into one of the eyes in the outhauling line 0 between the piles A and A The travel of said line draws the seine outwardly toward the pile A. When the out end of the seine has been carried outwardly a sufficient distance, the lead-line at the other end thereof is likewise hooked into one of said eyes. When the hooked end of the outer lead-line reaches the platform or float secured to the pile A the operator disconnects the same from the eye in said outhauling-line and secures the hook thereof on the other side of the said pile, or, in other Words, on the same line but between the two offshorepiles. The continuous movement of said line now carries the outer end of the seine toward the pile A When the outer or hooked end of the said lead-line reaches the float or support stationed at the pile A the lead-line at the opposite end of the seine will have reached the float or support located at the pile A The operators stationed on their respective floats or supports now disconnect the lead-lines from the outhauling-line and connect the hooks thereof with the shoreward moving side of the seine-inhauling lines 0 C The inhauling-lines beinglocated on the opposite sides of said fishing ground, the said seine, fully stretched and parallel with the shore, is carried toward the same. Obviously the effect is to bag the said nets somewhat as the same are drawn shoreward, thereby adding to the efficacy of the same.

Owing to the features of construction hereinbefore described it is obvious that any desired number of seines may be used. As herein shown five are operated; but in locations where the depth increases very gradually a greater number can be conveniently used. It is not essential that piles be used for the support for the olfshore parts of said .device, inasmuch as suitable floats may be shoreward, and means for actuating thelines. 7

2. A fishing device consisting of two fixed supports located on the shore, supports located offshore and opposite the first-named supports, pulleys secured to said supports lines rove through said pulleys and connecting each shore-support with the ofishore-support opposite thereto, nets attached at their ends to said lines, one of said lines acting to haul out and stretch said nets, the others acting to haul the nets ashore and a motor located on the shore and provided with drivingpulleys which engage and actuate the lines.

3. The combination with a plurality of seines of four piles arranged at the corners of a rectangular seining-ground, two of said piles being located in the water remote from the shore and in a line parallel therewith,-a plurality of pulleys secured on said piles a motor located on the shore and provided with driving-pulleys, an outhauling and stretching line rove through one pulley on each pile and around a driving-pulley, inhauling-lines rove through a pulley on a shore-pile and through a pulley on the offshore-pile opposite thereto, means for detachably connecting said nets to the outhaul-lines, and means for attaching the same to the inhaul-lines when at the outer limit of their movement.

4. In a fishing device, a pile-bracket comprising integral top, bottom and side walls, a vertical shaft jourualed in said top and bottom walls, grooved pulleys on said shaft adapted to receive lines, idlers or guide-rollers jonrnaled on the side walls of said bracket acting to hold said lines from falling or slipping from said pulleys, said bracket, being provided with a socket adapted to receive the head of the pile.

5. The combination with four piles located respectively at the corners of a rectangularseining-ground two of said piles being located in the water remote from the shore and parallel therewith, a bracket secured to the top of each pile, and provided with a vertical shaft, having upper and lower grooved pulleys, a motor located on the shore and provided with driving-pulleys, an endless rope or belt provided at equal distances with eyes and passing around a driving-pulley and a pulley in each bracket, similar endless ropes or belts, connecting a pulleyin each of the brackets on the shore-pile with a similar pulley in the offshore-bracket opposite thereto, a plurality of seines provided with drawing or lead lines having hooked ends adapted to be secured in the said eyes, and a float located at each offshore-pile adapted to support an operator.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 16th day of August, A. D. 1899.

RIVERS MONEILL.

\Vitnesses:

CHARLES W, HILLS, TAYLOR E. BROWN. 

